DHA-Paclitaxel in Treating Patients With Metastatic Prostate Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate

  * Progressive metastatic disease on continuous hormonal therapy (e.g., orchiectomy or luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist)
  * Progressive disease is defined by all of the following:

    * Measurable disease or lesions on bone scan
    * Increases in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels on at least 2 consecutive measurements
    * Continued PSA elevation after cessation of prior antiandrogen therapy (4 weeks after flutamide and nilutamide and 8 weeks after bicalutamide)
* PSA level at least 5 ng/mL
* Serum testosterone level less than 50 ng/mL

  * Patients who have not undergone prior surgical castration should continue primary androgen suppression (LHRH agonist)
* No known or clinical evidence of CNS metastasis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 18 and over

Performance status:

* ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy:

* Not specified

Hematopoietic:

* Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* SGOT or SGPT no greater than 2.5 times ULN

Renal:

* Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN

Cardiovascular:

* No uncontrolled ventricular arrhythmia
* No myocardial infarction within the past 3 months
* No superior vena cava syndrome

Neurologic:

* No peripheral neuropathy greater than grade 1
* No uncontrolled major seizure disorder
* No spinal cord compression

Other:

* No psychiatric disorder that would preclude informed consent
* No unstable or serious concurrent medical condition
* No concurrent serious infection requiring parenteral therapy
* No other prior or concurrent malignancy except:

  * Curatively treated nonmelanoma skin cancer OR
  * Other cancer curatively treated with surgery alone that has not recurred for more than 5 years
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for at least 6 months after study therapy

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* No concurrent immunotherapy

Chemotherapy:

* No prior taxanes
* Prior mitoxantrone or prednisone for metastatic disease allowed
* At least 28 days since prior chemotherapy and recovered
* No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* No concurrent hormonal therapy

Radiotherapy:

* No prior samarium SM 153 lexidronam pentasodium or strontium chloride Sr 89
* Prior external radiotherapy for metastatic disease allowed
* At least 28 days since prior large-field radiotherapy and recovered
* No concurrent radiotherapy, including whole-brain radiotherapy for documented CNS metastasis

Surgery:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 14 days since prior major surgery and recovered

Other:

* No other prior nonhormonal treatment for metastatic disease
* At least 28 days since prior herbal preparations (e.g., PC-SPES) and recovered
* No other concurrent anticancer medications